Device for operating television appliances

ABSTRACT

In an arrangement for operating television-technological apparatuses, operating and display elements can be represented on a screen. The screen is provided with a touch-sensitive input field. The respective value of at least one quantity to be set is represented graphically. The at least one quantity to be set can be set by touching the input field in a touch region enclosing the representation and moving the touch point in a direction corresponding to the change in the quantity to be set.

[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement for operatingtelevision-technological apparatuses.

[0002] Television studio technology often makes use of apparatuses whichrequire a considerable operational complexity owing to a multiplicity ofquantities to be set. Such apparatuses are film scanners, for example,including the electronic postprocessing of films, such as, for example,color correction, cameras, recording and reproduction apparatuses andvideo projectors.

[0003] It is an object of the invention to enable apparatuses of thistype to be operated as simply and intuitively as possible. This objectis achieved according to the invention by virtue of the fact thatoperating and display elements can be represented on a screen, that thescreen is provided with a touch-sensitive input field, that therespective value of at least one quantity to be set is representedgraphically, and that the at least one quantity to be set can be set bytouching the input field in a touch region enclosing the representationand moving the touch point in a direction corresponding to the change inthe quantity to be set. In this case, it is preferably provided that thetouch region is larger than the representation of the quantity to beset.

[0004] In the case of the arrangement according to the invention,specifically, the operating and display elements can be represented sodistinctly and clearly that the operator intuitively touches the correctinput field for an envisaged operating process without longconsideration. It is often necessary to carry out operating processeswhilst simultaneously observing a monitor image. In this case, inparticular, the arrangement according to the invention has the advantagethat operators can touch the input field and move the touch point in thedirection to be set without having to divert their attention from themonitor image. Furthermore, the movement is relative, that is to say itis connected with the change in the quantity to be set, while therepresentation of the quantity is absolute.

[0005] Specifically, in the arrangement according to the invention, itmay be provided that the touching of the input field with a finger orwith a suitable article is assigned to the quantity that is respectivelyto be set if the touching begins in the touched region, it then beingunimportant whether the touching ends inside or outside the touchregion.

[0006] For one-dimensional quantities such as, for example, thesaturation setting which affects the entire image, in the arrangementaccording to the invention it may be provided that the display elementdisplays a one-dimensional quantity by means of the length of arectangle, and that the touch region is identified by an elongatedquadrangle which encloses at least the maximum length.

[0007] However, it is also often necessary to set two-dimensionalquantities, such as, for example, a color according to hue andsaturation. This can preferably be made possible in the arrangementaccording to the invention by virtue of the fact that at least onedisplay element is a symbol represented on a display area, and whereinthe touch region is an area enclosing the display area.

[0008] An advantageous refinement of the arrangement according to theinvention consists in the fact that at least one operating element isrealized by moving the touch point about a pivot, the change in thevalue to be set being effected by the respective angle of rotation, andthat the touch region is significantly larger than the representation ofthe operating element. As a result, the operator can intuitively selecta longer “lever arm” for a finer setting than for a fast, coarsersetting.

[0009] Another advantageous refinement of the arrangement according tothe invention consists in the fact that numeric, alphanumeric and/orsymbolic representations of the respective values are provided inaddition to the graphical representation. In this case, the numeric,alphanumeric and/or symbolic representations can preferably be changedover. This refinement enables not only the clear graphicalrepresentation—in particular by means of the length of a bar—but also anexact numeric display or a display by means of symbols or alphanumericcharacters. Thus, by way of example, it is possible to set acharacteristic curve and at the same time indicate that thischaracteristic curve corresponds to a standard. The changeovercapability makes it possible to adapt the additional displays to theoperators' habits, which differ from country to country, for example.

[0010] In another advantageous development of the invention, it isprovided that the ratio between the movement and the change in thequantity to be set is adjustable. In this case, it is also possible toset nonlinear characteristic curves, so that, by way of example, slowmovements result in a comparatively small change in the quantity to beset and fast movements result in a comparatively large change.

[0011] Another development of the arrangement according to the inventionconsists in the fact that a plurality of operating and display menus areprovided, which can be selected with the aid of touch fields provided onthe touch-sensitive input field and/or keys, rotary regulators and/ortrackballs arranged beside the touch-sensitive input field.

[0012] This division into different operating and display menus enablesthe individual menus to be configured more clearly, so that only theoperating and display elements which are required are present in therespective operating situation. In this case, the operation can befacilitated further by virtue of the fact that touch fields areprovided, which call a subordinate menu when touched.

[0013] For operators who prefer working with conventional settingdevices, the arrangement according to the invention may be designed insuch a way that setting devices are provided besides the touch-sensitiveinput fields, the respective functions of said setting devices beingrepresented upon activation of the respective menu at the edge of thescreen.

[0014] The arrangement according to the invention may also be configuredin such a way that the quantities respectively set are transmitted tothe television-technological apparatus, and that received set quantitiesare sent back from the television-technological apparatus and displayedon the screen. This makes it possible to monitor that the settings haveactually been transmitted to the television-technological apparatus andprocessed there.

[0015] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are represented in thedrawing using several figures and are explained in more detail in thedescription below. In the figures:

[0016]FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the arrangementaccording to the invention,

[0017]FIG. 2 shows an operating and display element represented on thescreen including the movements of the touch points that are suitable forthe operation,

[0018]FIG. 3 shows another operating and display element likewise with arepresentation of the movement of touch points,

[0019]FIG. 4 shows a further operating and display element,

[0020]FIG. 5 shows a screen with a plurality of operating and displayelements corresponding to a first menu,

[0021]FIG. 6 shows a screen corresponding to a second menu, and

[0022]FIG. 7 shows a screen corresponding to a third menu.

[0023] In FIG. 1, a film scanner 1 is provided with an interface 2 foroutputting the settings respectively present in the film scanner and forinputting the settings. The interface 2 serves for connection to acomputer 4 associated with the arrangement according to the invention,which computer, on the one hand, controls the representation of theoperating and display elements on a screen 5 and, on the other hand,converts output signals of a touch-sensitive input field 6, takingaccount of the representation on the screen 5, into data for operatingthe film scanner 1. Methods for representing operating and displayelements and also for evaluating the signals resulting from touching theinput field are known per se and need not be explained in greater detailin connection with the present invention.

[0024]FIG. 2 shows the setting of a one-dimensional quantity which isindicated by a bar 21 of variable length. A line 23 from which the barcan run toward the left or right is furthermore represented in the caseof the example according to the invention. The line 23 may denote astandard value or, in the case of quantities with a changing sign, thevalue 0. In order to operate the film scanner, the input field istouched at an arbitrary point on the touch region 22, whereupon thetouch point is moved in the direction of the desired change in thequantity. This can be done at 24 or 25, for example, the touching beingended at 26 or 27. The bar 21 is then lengthened by the piece 28, forexample, if the film scanner has followed by the command given. FIG. 2shows a case in which a stepping-down is present between the movement ofthe touch point and the alteration of the quantity to be set, so that afine setting is possible.

[0025]FIG. 3 shows the setting of a two-dimensional quantity, namely thecolor saturation and the hue within a hexagon 31 which represents thepossible colors and simultaneously represents the touch region in whichthe touching of the input field and the movement of the touch points areassigned to the setting in the hexagon 31. A cross 32 represents thetwo-dimensional quantity (hue and color saturation) respectively set,which can be altered for example with the movements of the touch points33, 34 toward 35, 36 in the direction of a setting represented at 37. Inthis case, too, it is possible to observe a monitor image withoutattention being diverted by the operating process—as is the case forexample as a result of grasping a rotary knob.

[0026] The operating and display element represented in FIG. 4 is theimage of a rotary knob 11 provided with a pointer 12. The angularposition corresponds to a quantity to be set for the operation of thefilm scanner 1 (FIG. 1). In order to turn the “rotary knob” 11, theinput field is touched in a touch region 13 around the image of therotary knob 11—for example using a finger or an article suitable forthis purpose—and the touch point is moved with at least tangentialcomponent. This does not require the image of the pointer 12 to bestruck precisely, rather the movement of the touch point can be effectedat an arbitrary point in the touch region 13 outside the central point.In the event of a movement of the touch point from 14 to 15 or from 16to 17, it is possible to perform a fine setting, whereas faster turningfor the same distance covered is effected in the event of a movementfrom 18 to 19.

[0027]FIG. 5 shows the screen 5 and the input field 6 with therepresentation of a menu for color setting. From a main menu (notrepresented), this menu can be reached by touching the field 41 “color”.This menu comprises three two-dimensional regions 42, 43, 44 and aplurality of one-dimensional regions for the quantities to be set thatare specified there. Various keys 51 are arranged at the top side of thescreen, said keys having the same function as the touch fields 58arranged adjacent. Arranged to the right of the screen are rotary knobs52 having different functions depending on the menu set, said functionsbeing explained at 53. Thus, by way of example, the quantity “mastersaturation”, displayed at 48, can be set by means of the touch-sensitiveinputting or by means of the upper rotary knob 52. It is additionallypossible to provide further input devices, such as mouse and trackball.

[0028] Further functions can be called up using the keys A to H arrangedat the left-hand edge of the screen; thus, by way of example, a normalvalue can be set using the key A. The key B serves for inserting numericor alphanumeric information instead of the bar displays. Key C calls upa help text and key D serves for setting the translation between themovement of the touch point and the respective setting. The key E can beused to effect blocking against unauthorized operation. Key F is notallocated, while key G can be used to accept operating authority fromanother operating device. Finally, the key H serves for calling up amenu visited previously.

[0029] On the screen in accordance with FIG. 5 there are further touchfields 55, 56, 57, which, when touched, effect a changeover to othermenus, for example to a six-sector color correction, whose menu is shownin FIG. 6. As is known, in the case of six-sector color correction, itis possible to set colors which respectively fall within one of sixsectors of the chromatic circle with regard to their luminance, theirsaturation and their hue (luminance L, saturation S and hue H). Thecolors which are respectively affected by these settings can be selectedin the chromatic circle 60 designated by “qualifying”, it being possiblefor the sectors 61 to 66 to be set individually with regard to theirposition and width. The sectors 61 to 66 may also overlap in this case.The setting is effected such that a respective one of the sectors 61 to66 in the chromatic circle 60 is clicked on and the setting devices 67and 68 assigned to this sector are thereupon set by touching and movingthe touch point.

[0030] In that part of the menu which is designated by “modifying”,triple displays 71 to 76 are respectively represented for one of thesectors. If one of the triple displays is clicked on, the operating anddisplay elements 77, 78, 79 are assigned to this sector, as a result ofwhich the setting of the luminance, the saturation and the hue can beperformed for this sector.

[0031] In the situation represented in FIG. 6, the sector 63 and thetriple display 73 are active with the color represented bycrosshatching. Markings 69 and 70 with the same color indicate that theoperating and display elements 67, 68, 77, 78, 79 are assigned to thiscolor or the color sector.

[0032] By touching the field 58 “monitoring”, a block diagram inaccordance with FIG. 7 is represented on the screen. Situated below theblock diagram 81 is a schematic representation 82 of a measuring anddiagnosis device with a movable arrow 83 pointing at a point on theblock diagram. By touching any point, the arrow 83 can be set todifferent measurement points. The signals at that measurement point arethen forwarded to a measuring and diagnosis device that is present andthe results are displayed on the measuring device (oscilloscope,vectorscope). Details concerning the measurement and diagnosis methodscan be set through further touch-sensitive fields.

1. An arrangement for operating television-technological apparatuses,wherein operating and display elements can be represented on a screen(5), wherein the screen (5) is provided with a touch-sensitive inputfield (6), wherein the respective value of at least one quantity to beset is represented graphically, and wherein the at least one quantity tobe set can be set by touching the input field (6) in a touch region (22,31, 13) enclosing the representation (21, 32, 11) and moving the touchpoint (24, 25, 33, 34, 14) in a direction corresponding to the change inthe quantity to be set.
 2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1,wherein the touch region (22, 31, 13) is larger than the representation(21, 32, 11) of the quantity to be set.
 3. The arrangement as claimed ineither of claims 1 and 2, wherein the display element displays aone-dimensional quantity by means of the length of a rectangle (21), andwherein the touch region is identified by an elongated quadrangle (22)which encloses at least the maximum length.
 4. The arrangement asclaimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one displayelement is a symbol (32) represented on a display area (31), and whereinthe touch region is an area enclosing the display area (31).
 5. Thearrangement as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein at leastone operating element (11, 12) is realized by moving the touch point(14, 16, 18) about a pivot, the change in the value to be set beingeffected by the respective angle of rotation, and wherein the touchregion (13) is significantly larger than the representation of theoperating element (11, 12).
 6. The arrangement as claimed in one of thepreceding claims, wherein numeric, alphanumeric and/or symbolicrepresentations of the respective values are provided in addition to thegraphical representation.
 7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 6,wherein the numeric, alphanumeric and/or symbolic representations can bechanged over.
 8. The arrangement as claimed in one of the precedingclaims, wherein the ratio between the movement and the change in thequantity to be set is adjustable.
 9. The arrangement as claimed in oneof the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of operating and displaymenus are provided, which can be selected with the aid of touch fields(41, 58) provided on the touch-sensitive input field and/or keys, rotaryregulators and/or trackballs arranged beside the touch-sensitive inputfield.
 10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein touch fields(55, 56, 57) are provided, which call a subordinate menu when touched.11. The arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein setting devices (52)are provided besides the touch-sensitive input fields, the respectivefunctions of said setting devices being represented upon activation ofthe respective menu at the edge of the screen.
 12. The arrangement asclaimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the quantitiesrespectively set are transmitted to the television-technologicalapparatus (1), and wherein received set quantities are sent back fromthe television-technological apparatus (1) and displayed on the screen(5).